According to ERT (state broadcaster), the Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Hrysochoidis, addressed the attendees of a conference organised by the Association for the Development of West Athens (ASDA) on the topic of “Designing the New Transportation Map of Attica.” The event took place in the municipality of Agioi Anargyroi-Kamatero:

“As part of the programme we have developed, we have decided to deploy approximately 130 police officers on OASA buses and suburban trains. These officers will be present on buses and trains throughout the day, from the first to the last service, ending at midnight. They will be either in uniform or in plain clothes, patrolling the routes. This will ensure passengers feel safe and help combat the incidents of antisocial behaviour that have led to many complaints and issues with public transportation.”

“OASA should fast-track the process of hiring special guards for public transport.”

He then called on OASA to accelerate the recruitment of special guards who will focus exclusively on security in public transport, to ensure that the police officers currently assigned to this pilot programme can return to their regular duties.

“This is a significant contribution from the Hellenic Police to the area,” he said, discussing the specific challenges of West Athens and West Attica that necessitate police presence on public transport.

He added:

“This is linked to important issues such as criminal activity in the area, particularly the trafficking of drugs from West Attica, which heavily affects local communities. I believe that making public transport safer and tackling crime will be a major step forward, along with the other important issues discussed at this conference.”

He congratulated the organisers of the conference and, addressing OASA representatives, said, “We need to organise transportation services in West Athens that serve the public. We strive to be bold, innovative, and forward-thinking in tackling these challenges. As local representatives—including myself as the MP for the West Sector, along with the excellent mayors and their teams—we are all committed to working together to achieve the best possible results.”

The conference was jointly organised by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, OASA, the Growthfund (National Investment Fund), ASDA, and the Municipality of Agioi Anargyroi-Kamatero. It focused on updating Attica’s transport network, with a special emphasis on the needs of West Athens.”

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